Business in Fort Bend September 2017

Perry Homes’ new Valenica model, its second in Aliana, feature a large gated centralized courtyard and optional spice kitchen, prayer room and media room.

Aliana Opens New Model Homes

Aliana, recently announced as Houston’s No. 2 selling community by RCLCO, has opened two new model homes by J. Patrick Homes and Perry Homes, both on 65-foot homesites. As the Fort Bend community continues to grow, it is also expanding its offerings of new homes.

Priced from the $420,000s to the $600,000s, the unique homes offered
by the acclaimed builders are exclusive to Aliana and capitalize on the community’s appeal to a myriad of lifestyles, including multicultural families.

Contemporary shoppers will appreciate the metallic tones and pops of green over black-and-white décor of the J.Patrick NuvoVista model home. Home plans in the series, many of which feature metal roofing accents, private front courtyards, and optional prayer room and spice kitchen, range from approximately 3,800 to 4,300 square feet.

For Perry Homes, the new Valencia model marks its second in Aliana. Homes in the new Valencia series showcase a stucco design, large gated centralized courtyard, dramatic archways and coffered ceilings. This model also features a large gated centralized courtyard and optional spice kitchen, prayer room and media room.

With the addition of these two, Aliana now boasts 18 model homes, including six lifestyle models and 12 in its award-winning model home village, with prices from the $280,000s to over $1 million.

Aliana residents enjoy amenities including two recreation centers with swimming pools, splash pad, 24-hours fitness facilities, tennis courts, miles of hiking trails, lush shaded parks and more. The Fort Bend community is home to H-E-B Aliana Market and the nation’s first fully re-imagined Target store scheduled to open in October. Aliana is located on the Grand Parkway between U.S. Highway 59 and Interstate 10.

Montessori Kids Universe Sugar Land has been selected for the 2017 Best of Sugar Land Award in the Montessori School category by the Sugar Land Award Program.

Each year, the Sugar Land Award Program identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These local companies enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and the community.

Montessori Kids Universe opened in November 2016 under the leadership of Dr. Rebecca Deurlein, a veteran educator, parenting author, and speaker. The school immediately became involved in the community through the Chamber of Commerce and Sugar Land-sponsored community events, as well as support of charitable organizations such as Child Advocates of Fort Bend. The school’s marketing strategy, coupled with positive parent testimonials and a highly professional staff now led by Brooke Khawaja, brought great growth to the school’s year-round program.

“The impact this school has had on our son is just extraordinary,” said parent Megan Boler. “He was the first student to walk through the door and we have never seen him happier. The teachers, the director, the environment, the true Montessori emphasis – all of it has created the best possible school for our son.”

The Sugar Land Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Sugar Land area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

Montessori Kids Universe is located at 2600 Cordes Drive, off Lexington. For more information about their programs and registration, visit MontessoriKidsSugarland.com.

Newmark Homes will hold a presale event in September for The Grove at Riverstone, a new enclave that will feature 67 homes priced from the low $400,000s.

Newmark Continues Expansion In Top-Selling Riverstone

More than 26 acres of land in top-selling Riverstone is being readied for Newmark Homes’ newest neighborhood, The Grove at Riverstone. Located off of University Boulevard near Newmark’s Pebble Creek neighborhood, The Grove will offer 67 homes situated on 60-foot properties. A presale event will happen in early September, giving buyers the chance to select preferred homesites, including those with lake views. Model home construction is slated for early October.

The land was acquired last October in response to buyer demand for affordable, amenity-rich homes in the Fort Bend community. The 14 plans in the builder’s Executive Series will range from 2,600 to 3,500 square feet and feature formal living and dining rooms, gourmet kitchens, expansive master suites and three-car garages. Prices will start from the low $400,000s.

“Our building programs throughout Riverstone have been very successful,” said Mike Moody, president of Newmark Homes. “So when we had an opportunity to expand into Riverstone, we jumped at the chance.”

Riverstone is the top-selling community in Houston, according to the RCLCO 2017 mid-year list of the nation’s “Top 50 Master-planned Communities” — a position it has held for several years. Many homes offer a Sugar Land address.

This will be Newmark’s fourth neighborhood in Riverstone. The builder also is the exclusive builder in 22-acre Pebble Creek where it offers homes on 55-foot homesites. Luxury homes on 70-foot properties are offered in Riverstone’s upscale Avalon neighborhood.

Beth Anne Browning Gunn has been named Director of Admission for Fort Bend Christian Academy (FBCA). Gunn began her career in Houston as the director of admission at The Awty International School, and she most recently has served as the director of student recruitment at Episcopal High School.

As the director of student recruitment, Gunn served on the Finan­­cial Aid Committee and Commun­ications Committee for Strategic Planning, coordinating prospective student events, organizing and assisting in administering prospective student testing, interviewing prospective families and more.

“FBCA is most fortunate to have Beth Anne Gunn serving as its new Director of Admission,” FBCA Head of School Dr. David Pitre said. “She brings a wealth of creativity, experience and expertise to the Admission Office. I have no doubt she will quickly benefit FBCA.”

Professional organizations Gunn is affiliated with include Houston Association of Independent Schools Admission Directors (HAIS-AD) and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Admission Directors, as well as Breakthrough Houston, an organization seeking to provide children equal access to quality education.

“I am committed to independent school education and am passionate about working with families and students to find the best school fit,” Gunn said.

Gunn earned a B.A. in communications from The University of Oklahoma. She and her husband reside in Katy and are active members of United Methodist Church.

Lamar Consolidated ISD Superintendent Dr. Thomas Randle is the 2017 Region 4 Superintendent of the Year. The Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4) serves a seven-county area composed of 49 public school districts and 38 open-enrollment charter schools, representing more than 1.2 million students, 95,000 educators and 1,500 campuses.

Since Randle arrived in 2001, Lamar CISD has become synonymous with academic excellence. The District has twice been recognized by Texas School Business magazine for its innovative practices, earned the HEB Excellence in Education Award for Best Large District, and three campuses have been named National Blue Ribbon schools. This year, Lamar CISD was chosen as one of only seven school districts from across the state to take part in the inaugural cohort of The Holdsworth Center – a prestigious new leadership institute.

This is Dr. Randle’s second time to be named the Region 4 Superintendent of the Year. He also received the honor in 2001. “Considering the depth of talent of the school administrators in the Houston area, this is indeed a humbling honor,” Randle said.

The Regional Superintendent of the Year award is sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), and has honored public school district superintendents for excellence and achievement in educational leadership since 1984. Candi­dates are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving educational quality, ability to build effective employee relations, student performance and commitment to public involvement in education.

Randle now advances as the Region 4 nominee for the 2017 Texas Superintendent of the Year Award presented by the Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards. The state winner will be announced at the TASA/TASB convention this fall.

Firethorne to cap off 1,400-acre community development with family pool and aquatic play area.

Jefferson Development Announces Firethorne’s Final Major Amenity

Jefferson Development will cap off its 1,400-acre Firethorne master-planned community with the construction of a family pool with a 19-1/2-foot-tall tubular water slide and aquatic playground, marking Firethorne’s final major amenity. The colorfully appointed aquatic play area and pool is slated for completion later this summer.

The family pool and aquatic play area will feature Firethorne’s first-ever tower slides, water cannons, a water hoop, spray fountains, a swim-up playground and wading areas specifically designed for families with young children.

Adam Traugott, CBP, founder and president of Sunset Pools Inc., the project manager, designed the new family-friendly swimming area. The play area, 45 feet by 45 feet, and the pool area, 30 feet by 30 feet, are located adjacent to the resort-style pool. The Katy-based company, founded in 2001, has designed several private pools in Firethorne.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s hand therapy residency program – which trains occupational therapists from around the country in the most advanced hand-related treatments – has been named an approved residency site by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

The designation makes Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s program the only AOTA-approved hand therapy residency program in Texas, and only the third to be credentialed nationally.

The hospital began offering the hand residency in 2013, and the program has grown significantly. The fast-paced environment at Houston Methodist Sugar Land is ideal for ensuring that residents see a broad range of patient types throughout the 12-month program. Participants work side-by-side with some of the area’s leading therapists and will spend clinic hours with orthopedic surgeons to develop an understanding of current surgical and medical interventions, along with the rehabilitation implications. The program helps occupational therapists improve both their clinical reasoning skills and treatment approaches, and prepares participants for their certified specialist exam.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land is the only facility in the U.S. with fully accredited orthopedic physical therapy, sports physical therapy and athletic training programs in one location. Visit houstonmethodist.org/hand-residency to learn more.

Institute for Organization Management (IOM), the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, has announced that Matthew Ferraro, IOM, Vice President of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, has graduated from the program and has received the recognition of IOM.

“Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Vice President of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries.”

Since 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of association, chamber, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates.

An aerial view of Riverstone, a Johnson Development community in Fort Bend County.

Johnson Development Reports Sharp Rise In Home Sales

New home sales are flourishing in Johnson Development’s Houston-area communities, with builders reporting 27 percent more homes sold during the first six months of 2017 than the previous year.

Builders sold a total of 1,560 homes through the first half of the year, compared to 1,225 in 2016. Three developments reported a year-over-year sales increase topping 35 percent: Richmond’s Harvest Green, with 48 percent more sales in 2017; Harmony in Spring, with 45 percent more sales during the first six months; and Imperial in Sugar Land, with 37 percent more sales this year.

In terms of actual number of homes sold, Riverstone heads the list not only among Johnson Development’s Houston-area communities, but all developments in the region, according to a mid-year sales report by housing think tank Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO). Riverstone is ranked at No. 1 in Houston, No. 2 in Texas and No. 16 in the nation. Johnson Development had six Texas communities ranked among the top 50 on the RCLCO list: Riverstone, Cross Creek Ranch (No. 31), Sienna Plantation (No. 32), Wood­forest (No. 37t), Harvest Green (No. 41) and Viridian (No. 49t).

“Again this year, we were blessed to have more top-selling master-planned communities in the nation than any other developer,” said Doug Goff, Johnson Development president and COO. Newmark Homes President Mike Moody says the amenities in Johnson communities and the thoughtful development has fueled home sales.“We build in seven Johnson developments because we know the community will be well planned.”

Three Johnson communities started their first full year of home sales this year: Grand Central Park in Conroe, Jordan Ranch in Fulshear and Veranda in Richmond. For more information, visit johnsondevelopment.com.

Shayonano Opens Nano Techno­Logy Production Center In Fort Bend County

Following a nationwide search, ShayoNano has selected Fort Bend County as its first U.S. production facility for innovative paint additives based on patented nano technology.

The journey to Fort Bend started with the 2014 SelectUSA Investment Summit. The summit is designed to bring together foreign companies considering investing in the Uni­ted States with economic development organizations, government officials and others.

Following the summit, CEO Mahesh Patel said he drove from Houston to Miami looking for a suitable location for a U.S. production facility. After meeting with Houston city officials and the Greater Houston Partnership, Patel and his team thought the Houston area would be ideal. He set up a temporary office in the Houston Technology Center while exploring the area for a permanent facility.

Patel opened his Stafford facility in 2016, starting first with a laboratory while designing the production room. Patel said his Stafford site, which has an annual capacity of at least 300 tons, is a test site. “We expect to build a larger facility that will be 100 to 200 times larger,” he said. “The potential market for our products is in excess of $2 billion.”

Patti Worfe, economic development director for the City of Stafford, said she has already begun working with Patel on site opportunities for expansion in the area.

Jeff Wiley, president and CEO of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council, has been equally active in the development and expansion of the company in Fort Bend County. Wiley said, “ShayoNano’s move to Fort Bend County is validation that the things we are doing are working to attract both U.S. and international companies and investment to our community.”

The Rosenberg Police Department was notified by the Texas Police Chiefs Association in July that the department was re-recognized as a “Recog­nized Law Enforcement Agency.” The department was originally recog­nized in July 2013 as the 82nd Texas law enforcement agency to meet the program standards.

By being re-recognized, the Rosenberg Police Department showed compliance with 168 Texas Law Enforcement Best Practices. These best practices were carefully developed by Texas Law Enforcement professionals to assist agencies in the efficient and effective delivery of service, the reduction of risk and the protection of individual’s rights. The Texas Best Practices Recognition Program has become the new Gold Standard for Texas Law Enforcement.

The Rosenberg Police Department thanks Chief Jim Sevey of the Nacogdoches Police Department and Assistant Chief Amy Knoll of the Cleburne Police Department. These two individuals were the on-site inspectors who conducted a thorough review of all 168 standards. During the inspection, they conducted over 20 interviews and each spent over four hours riding and interacting with officers. The inspectors made sure that not only did the Rosenberg Police Department have the proper policies in place, but also that it conducts business with the highest degree of professional conduct.

The Rosen­­­berg Police Department will be acknowledged for the Re-Recognition Status during the 2018 Texas Police Chiefs Asso­ciation’s Annual Conference.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has opened a new infusion suite – in addition to the existing oncology infusion suite – allowing patients suffering from a variety of conditions to receive infusion therapy in a convenient and comfortable environment.

The new suite is located on the first floor of Medical Office Building 2 on the Houston Methodist Sugar Land campus. It will serve as many as seven patients at one time, with three private infusion rooms and one group room with four chairs. The suite will include televisions in the private rooms, warm blankets and a snack station. Patients will be treated by chemotherapy-credentialed nurses from the Houston Methodist Cancer Center at Sugar Land.

“Infusion immunotherapy provides a wide range of benefits for many patients suffering from inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Crohn’s disease,” said Amy Sebastian-Deutsch, director of oncology and infusion therapy services. “Like chemotherapy, many of these medications, though not all, must be administered intravenously, and while some treatments are short, others can take a few hours. Our new suite will make the experience as comfortable and as pleasant as possible for our patients.”